From the blog

WHY WE NEED MATH IN OUR LIVES

As children, many people struggled to learn math in school. Many times, you may have asked yourself why your teachers were torturing you with having to learn such a subject. In fact, you may have children who have asked this very same question. The reality is that math is far more important and relevant in everyday life than most people realize.

Problem Solving

Mathematics teaches problem solving and thinking skills, which are absolutely crucial for functioning in everyday life. It teaches a person to think logically when solving problems and to use steps and procedures to come to a conclusion. This is the same process used in scientific investigation. Math also helps people to use higher thinking skills such as analysis and abstract thinking. It exercises the brain leading to increased cognitive ability. Often, we do not realize the importance of mathematics until we are adults when we start to regret not having taken the subject more seriously.

Schooling

The obvious importance of mathematics is in entrance exams for college, however, there is much more to it than that. Knowledge of basic mathematics helps in everyday life, for instance, it enables you to calculate the tax of products you buy, and it enables you to know how to compare the value of products based on cost per weight or volume. This way you can determine which product would be the best value for your money.

Understanding interest rates becomes important when you are taking out a car or house loan. The less mathematics you know, the more money you may end up spending and losing. Not understanding mathematics can have negative ramifications, think of a nurse who incorrectly calculates medication dosages or a business trying to overcharge by adding more than the legally mandated tax.

Use with Technology

Another issue today is the proliferation and necessity of learning how to use technology. Ten, and even twenty, years ago it was becoming clear that technology was the future. It still is the future and mathematics is the foundation upon which computer science is based on, whether you work in IT networks or software development. Networking requires knowledge of binary number systems while software development requires knowledge of linear algebra. Computer science, in particular, requires strong critical and logical thinking methods. Many students who want to study computer science realize too late that this may not be possible since they do not have a strong enough mathematics foundation. Science and engineering also rely heavily on mathematics knowledge.

Due to the importance of mathematics, many different teaching techniques have been developed to teach it. Today many of these involve computer games and other technology-based activities. It is so important that parents and teachers recognize the importance of mathematics and inspire and motivate their students to take it seriously. Telling your students or children about the importance of mathematics will go a long way to them being successful. Even if a child has a math phobia, they may be more inclined to try hard once they see the application in everyday life.